Film-drying apparatus



Nov. 6, 1923. 1,473,542 G. L. CHANIER ET AL FILM DRYING APPARATU Filed June 28 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES A TTOR/VEYS Nov, 6, 1923. 1,473,542 G. L. CHANIER ET AL FILM DRYING APPARATUS Filed June 28 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 l 5 I 13.3. I

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' ATTORNEYS Nov. 6 1923. 1,473,542 G. L. CHANIER ET AL FILM DRYING APPARATUS Filed June 28 1.922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 T an WITNESSES J m/v NTOR W BY 627w. Mk

Patented Nov. 6, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GASTON L. cm, 01 SHORT HILLS, AND ALBERT L. ADATTE, OI PLAINI'IELD,

NEW JERSEY, ASBIGNOBS TO PA'IHE EXCHANGE,

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

mo, 01mm 20111:, N. Y., A

FILM-DRYING APPARATUS.

Application filed June as, 1922. Serial n 571,354.

To all wlwm it may concern:

Be it known that we, GASTON L. CHANIER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Short Hills, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, and ALBERT L. ADA'ITE, a citizen of Switzerland, and a resident of Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey have invented a new and Improved Film-brying Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to apparatus for drying films or strips of material, preferably in a continuous manner, and an object of the invention resides in the provision of means whereby any length or strip of material, such as motion picture film, can in a simple manner be run through this apparatus and be efficiently dried in a considerabl shorter time than has hitherto customaril been required.

Another object resides in the provision of means whereby at any time during the operation the film may be inspected, or if the film should break or snarl within the device it can be readily repaired.

A further object resides in the specific apparatus whereby the drying medium, such as. air, can be most efficiently applied to the film.

A still further object resides in the arrangement of the drums on which the film is dried so that the film is fed from one drum to another without any liability of the edges of the, film being torn or worn by contact with the metal of the drum.

Another object resides in the particular construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings.

The invention is illustrated in the drawin s, of which igure 1 is a section taken on the line 11 ofig. 3 and represents a transverse vertical section.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the drum supporting the film pulled out so that the film can be inspected.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through the machine.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

F1g. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the rim of one of the drum wheels.

The form of the invention shown in the dranings 1s a referred form, although it is understood t at modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts and in the character of the materials used may be adopted without departing from the splrit of the invention.

In developing the idea of this invention, the problem was presented of reducing the t me during which motion picture film and s1m1lar material are required to be subjected to a drying operation in order to thoroughly dry the emulsion on the film. It was intended to be able to run the films continuously during some periods in proximity to a drying medium, such as a blast of air, so that when the film came out of the apparatus it would be thoroughly dried. The inventlon as it has developed, therefore, comprises generally a means containing, preferably, two drums on the peripheral surface of which are arranged a plurality of flanges, the space between the flanges formmg narrow channels. The diameters of the drums and the flanges are such that along a considerable portion of their circumferential length they lie ver closely to the enclosing casing so that t e above mentioned channels are closed by the casing. With these channels, at one end thereof, a nozzle is associated, and this nozzle is connected to a suitable source of fluid pressure, such as a motor-operated air fan, which forces air at-high speed through the nozzle into the plurality of channels above mentioned. Each of the drums is provided with a similar arrangement of channels and nozzles connected with the fluid source of pressure. The drums are suitably rotated at a desired speed and film is threaded continuously around the drums in the channels; and as the material passes throughthe channel portions it is subjected to an intimate application of air which passes therethrough at high velocity, and, because of the smallness of the channel, in very intimate association with the surface of the material.

Another objection which had to be overcome was that with drums having rectilinear flanges not spirally arranged on the surfaces of the drums it was difiicult to feed film from one drum to another in a-spiral fashion without causing the film to be so twisted that .it would tend to bind or rub against the flanges of the drums at certain points. To overcome this, our invention in general includes the disposition of the axes of the drums one with respect to another at a slight angle so that the material extends from one channel on one drum to another channel on the other drum without binding at the edges of the flanges.

A further difliculty which has been overcome is the difliculty of being able at any time to pull out the drums to inspect the film or to give it attention if it becomes torn or snarled. To overcome this difliculty, we have provided the drums slidably mounted on their respective shafts and means whereby, although the shafts are inclined with respect to each other, a sliding movement can be had b merely pulling on a single handle connecte to the closing plate for one end -ofthe As shown 1n the drawings, the invention includes a platform 1 suitabl supported on legs or pedestals 2, on which platform a motor driven fan 3 is mounted and connects with a suitable pipe or conduit 4. Beneath this platform 1 is disposed a casing having side walls 5, preferabl v of sheet metal, and end plates 6 and 7, t e end plate 6 being fixed and suitably braced between the uprights or pedestals 2 by suitable plates 8. The other end plate 7 is movable in a manner hereinafter to be described. On the inner face of the plate 6, formin one end of the casing, and particularly ad acent the channel members 8, we dispose flanged bearing plates 9. In these bearing plates are supported shafts 10 and 11 which, as shown in Fig. 4: particularly, are inclined to each other at a slight angle, for a reason hereinafter to be explained. The front ends of the shafts bear in bushings 12 and 13 suit ably supported in the front plate 7. These bushings are in the form of square blocks, as shown particularly in Fig. 5, and are mounted on a plate 14 disposed back of the plate 7 and connected thereto in any desired manner. This plate is providedv with a pair of slots 15 and 16 in which the bushings 12 and 13 slide laterally. A handle such as 16 is connected to the front plate, and as the front plate is pulled out the plate 14 is moved therewith and the bushings 12 and 13 as well. The capacity for lateral movement of the bushings 12 and 13in the slots 15 and 16 allow for a slight angular relation of the shafts 10 and 11. The bearing blocks or bushings 12 and 13 embrace sleeves 17 and 18 surrounding each shaft and extend rearwardly along said shafts to a point adjacent the bearing blocks 9. Around the sleeves adjacent the flange plates 9 we dispose spacing rings or washers 19 and 20, 20 spacin the drum on each shaft from the flanged plates, and 19 adapted to confine the various wheels on the drum in a manner hereinafter explained. Similarly, at the front end of each drum, we rovide a spacing 21 which tends to hold the parts of the drum on to the drum hub 22. These hubs are hollow and between them and the'sleeves 17 and 1 are disposed roller bear' 23.

On the hubs 22 the drums are formed b disposing on the hubs a plurality of whee s" or pulleys 24. These are best illustrated in Fig. 1, and have ring-shaped hubs 25, spokes 26 and an inner fell 27, preferably of wood. Around this fel y we dispose a metallic plate 28 which forms an outenrim having a flange 29 at oneside thereof. On.

the outer surface of this plate 28 we dispose a layer, preferably, of some fibrous material such as felt to receive and cushion the film 31 which passes thereover. On each of the slidable sleeves 17 and 18 a pluralitythe fihn around the drums from one to the other. it is necessary to advance the film after each lap in a spiral manner. It'also can be perceived that if the film were to advance in its passage between the two drums it would of necessity rub against the edge of the flange it was leaving and a ainst the edge of the flange of the channe .into which it was bein introduced. We avoid this diflicuity, whid b causes rapid deterioration of the film, by disposing the shafts with their axes at an angle to each other, so that as he film passes around in the channel of the drum, when it leaves said channel it is in line substantially to proceed directly and vertlcally to the channel into which it is to be introduced on the other drum without any such rubbing action as above mentioned.

In tracing the passage of the film into and out of the apparatus, particular reference may be had to Fig. 4 in which the film 31 is led from any. reel or other apparatus over a small sprocket pulley 32, thence under a tension pulley 33, and then over an idler pulley 34. These pulleys. are supported from a bracket frame 35 attached to the side wall of the casing. The film then passes through a suitable aperture 36 in the casing, seen in Fig. 3, one of its edges being guided by an idler-pulley 37 supported within the on the upper to the front plate 7 and movable therewith, thence the film passes into the first groove or channel on the lower drum, assm around beneath the drum in this 0 anne? and thence upwardly to the opposite channe drum. It then passes around the pairs of drums until it leaves the lower drum, passing over an idlerpulley 41 su ported from a bracket 42 connected to e front plate 7, as shown in Fig. 4. After leaving the pulley 41 it paws through a slot 43 in the casing, as seen in Fig. 1, thence under a sprocket pulley 44 and then upward to a reel 45. The reel is mounted on any suitable bracket frame 46 attached to the side of the casing. I

The sprocket pulley 44, however, is mounted on a shaft 47 and is associated with a clutch member 48 with which a co-acting clutch member 49 engages. This member 49 is mounted on a shaft 50 supported on the bracket frames 35 and 51 on the the side .walls of the casing, and driven by a pulley 52 over which a belt 53 extends and leads to any suitable source of power. The sprocket pulle 44 and the shaft 47 are supported on a c annel plate 54 connected to the front plate 7 and movable therewith.

It will, therefore, be observed that .when the handle 16 is grasped and pulled out the plate 7 moves outwardly,.'mov1ng therewith the sleeves 17 and 18 and both drums, which are mounted on the sleeves. Since the ends of the shafts 10 and 11 bear in the bushing blocks 12 and 13 the sliding angular relation of these shafts willnot prevent drums from being pulled out in this manner. When the drums are ulled out, as shown in Fig 2, the film and the parts within the casing can be carefully examined and inspected and, if necessary, repaired When the drums are pulled out, it will be noted that the pulleys 39 and 41 move therewith, as well as the sprocket pulley 44 and its co-operating parts. The film in extending between the pulley 41 outward of the casing passes through the slot 43, the end of w ich slot extends throu h the front end of the casing, so that the fi m can move out of this slot as the drums are removed. As soon as the drums begin to move out of the casing, the clutch members 48 and 49 disenga e stopping the rotation of the sprocket pulley 44. It will, furthermore, be noted that at the rear of the casing the film, in extending between the pulley 34 and the idler pulley37, is kept in a straight line, to prevent snarling and tangling, although the pulley 39 can withdraw from the casing with the front plate 7. in which event the film 31 will tend to lie flat against the surface of the pulley 37, which may be more clearly understood from a consideration of Fig. 1. It will also be observed that as the drums are moved out of the casing that portion of the film extendnoted in Big.

ing from pulley 41 to the sprocket pulley. 44 will also move out of the slot 43. The film bein flexible will not, however, be disen ed om the sprocket pulley 44 because it is old thereagamst by tension rollers 55 mounted on a spring-pressed arm 56which bears against the film and holds it in contact with the sprocket pulley 44.

With regard to the feed of air to the channel passages on the drums, it will be 2 particularly, as well as in Fig. 1, that at the lower end of the'pipe or conduit 4 a head or coupling is rovided, designated by the numeral 57. mm this coupling a pipe 58 extends around beneath the lower drum and up on the other side of the casing to a nozzle 59, a similar nozzle 60 being located near the lower end of pipe 4 adjacent the lower druin. These nozzles are identical in structure and are provided with a plurality of bafile plates 61 to uniformly distribute the air current over the entire surface of the nozzle, which in width, as indicated at 62, is sufiicient to span the width of each drum, so that air is fed through all the channel passages as the drums rotatein proximity to the casing. After the air has passed around the drums through the channel passages, is passes out through exhaust openings 63 and 64, which are made sufficiently large not to create a back pressure. The air is naturall forced out of these openings rather than circulated around within the casin by reason of the fact that the layers of 1111 lying close together form a. sort of enclosure with the outer walls 5 of the casing, through which enclosure the air naturally tends to pass.

With regard to the rotation of the drums, this rotation is effected by the engagement of the film by the sprocket wheels 32 and 44, each of the pulleys or wheels 24 forming the drums being free to rotate independently of each other so that the drums are moved around slowly due to the pulling on the film. Of course, it is understood that the drums can be positively driven, if desired.

What we claim is: 4

1. A device for drying film material, which includes a pair of drums having peripheral channels or passages thereon to receive a film and associated adjacent each other, the axes of the drums being inclined at an angle with respect to each other to permit a film to pass from a-channel on one drum to a succeeding channel on another drum whereby a continuous strip of film may be passed around thedrums without binding. 1

2. A film drying device which includes a pair of drums over which the film is passed, the axes of said drums being disposed in parallel planes but at different angles in said planes.

3. A device for drying film, which coming a flanged metallic rim,

prises'a pair of drums each having a plural- 1ty of separate circumferential passages its periphery to receive drums being angularly disposed whereby the film in leaving a passage on one drum can be led into a succeeding passage on the other 7 drum without bindin or twisting.

rying film, which ina circumferential as- 4. A device for cludes a drum havin sage or channel in w ichthe film is receivedand a casing withi'n whichthe drum is located, said casing lying closely adjacent the face of the drum to form with th'eehannel a substantially closed chamber through which a drying medium may be passed in intimate association with the film to be dried.

5. A device for drying film, which includes a drum having a circumferential passage or channel in which the film is received and a casing within which the drum is' lo-' cated, said casing lying closely adjacent the face of the drum to form with the channel a substantially closed chamber through which a drying medium may be passed in intimate association with the film to be dried, and means for introducing a drying medium to said enclosed chamber. Y i

6. A device for drying film, which includes a drum formed of a plurality of pulleys or wheels, each pulley or wheel includsaid pulleys disposed adjacent each other to form the drum, and the flanges on the pulleys forming channels or passages to receive the film.

7.- A device for drying film, which includes a drum formed of a plurality of pulleys or wheels, each pulley or wheel including a flangedmetallic rim, said pulleys disposed adjacent each other to form the drum, theflanges on the pulleys forming channels or passages to receive the film, and a casing a portion of which lies closely adjacent the outer edges of the drum along a portion thereof to form substantially enclosed chambers through which a drying medium is forced.

8. A film drying device, which includes a pair of drums having circumferential channels therein, means whereby a continuous film can be wound around the drums without binding, a casing the walls of which lie adjacent the faces of the drums throughout a portion of their circumferential length to form passages, means for feeding a drying but at an angle to each other, slidable bearing blocks supporting the front end of each film, the axes of the d w connecting the drums with the said shaft, a

shaft, the frontplate havin slots in which said bearing blocks are a ted to slide, rums supported on said sha and means front late whereby the drums will slide along the shafts and out of the casing'so that the material on the drums can be inspected.

10. A film drying apparatus, which includes a casing, a within said casing, around which drum a film extending into said casing is adapted to be passed, and a fixed guide pulley within said casing adapted to maintain a portion of the film Within the casing in a substantially fixed path when the drum is moved within the casing to prevent the film from binding or snarling. l 11. A film drying-machine, which includes a casing a drum within said casing having a plurality of passages on its surface in which the film is to be received, the circumferential face of the drum adapted along a portion of its length to lie closely adjacent the casin and a nozzle disposed in said casing ad acent and across the passages on the face :of the drum to feed a drying medium thereto. 12. A film drying-machine, which includes a casing, a drum WIthlII-SBld casing having a plurality of passages on its surface in which the film is to be received, the circumferential face ofthe drum adapted along a portion of its length tolie closely adjacent the casing, a nozzle disposed 1n said casing adjacent and acr the passages onjg tfie face of the drum to feed a drying medium thereto, and a plurality of baflle or distributer plates. wit 'n the nozzle to uniformly of the drum.

13. A film drying apparatus, which includes a casing, a shaft fixed to and within said casing, a movable plate enclosing one face of said casing, a sleeve surrounding bearing block connected to said sleeve, said blocks sliding in a slot in said plate, a drum hub surroundin said sleeve, roller bearings between the ab and the sleeve, and means causing the movement of the drum with the sleeve when the closing plate is moved away from the casing.

14. A film drying apparatus, which includes a hub and a plurality of pulleys mounted on said hub, each of said pulleys having a rim with a .flange on one edge thereof, said flanges. on said pulleys, when the pulleys'are disposed adjacent each other on a. common support toform a frame, forming passagesbetween each other in which a film or other strip of material may be received.

15. A film drying apparatus, which includes a hub and a plurality of pulleys mounted on said hub, each of said pulleys having a rim with a flange on one edge thereof, said when the front plate-is pulle out distribute the drying medium across the face i flanges on said pulleys, when the pulleys are 16. A film drying apparatus, which indisposed adjacent each other on a common cludes a pulley having a flat metallic rim support to form a frame, forming passages with a radially projecting flange along one 10 between each other in which a film or other edge, and a layer of cushioning material,

5 strip of material may be received, and a such as felt, on the outer surface of the rim. layer of fibrous or cushioning material dis- GASTON L. OHANIER. posed on the outer surface of said rim. ALBERT L. ADATTE. 

